Having been in the insurance business, one thing I know -- people see things differently. I was especially reminded of this fact while watching the History Channel  last night. It was a two-hour documentary about the anti-christ and Bible prophecy.

My wife and I found it fascinating that the History Channel would pick up the subject. And, we waited eagerly for the program to start. However, after only a few minutes of viewing, I began to catch on -- this wasn't going to be a non biased report.

At the end of the two hours, I realized what happened. We evangelicals were basically left with a false dichotomy. On the one side, we had the strict dispensational view. On the other, we had the critique of the so-called "many scholars." And, the more I thought about the History Channel's approach to such a difficult subject, the more absurd to me it became.

Back to seeing things differently. One of my favorite accounts in the Bible is where Jesus returns the sight of a man born blind. It's not so much the miracle that attracts me. It's what Jesus said to the man soon after. Jesus said:

For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind (John 9:39 New American Standard Bible).

The Bible tells us the miracle that most offended the religious leaders of Israel was when they heard a report that Jesus raised His friend Lazarus from the dead. The Bible tells us this is when these leaders began plotting Jesus' death.

As they met to discuss the matter, the chief priest, Caiaphas, made a statement. He was reported to have said:

You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish (John 11: 49-50)

The one who reported this event was the Apostle John -- the one Jesus especially loved. And, in the next verse, John adds an interesting observation. John says:

He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation (John 11: 51).

Again, we find demonstrated how people see things differently. The Jewish leaders simply saw the political logic in Jesus' death. John, however, saw the prophetic logic.

Back to when Jesus raised Lazarus. Before He did this miracle, He said something to Martha, Lazaru's sister. He said:

Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God (John 11: 40)?

Notice the "if you believe" part. At that moment, Jesus wasn't talking about Martha believing for a miracle. Jesus was talking about the importance of Martha believing in Him.

So, John, because he believed in Jesus, saw Caiaphas' statement in a different light. In the same way, we who believe in Jesus today see differently from those who don't believe -- as in the case of many of those so-called "scholars."

Like John, we have eyes that see.